Oh how I hate office work, especially when I have to be my own tech support. 2 hours to install a scanner because the software was too old + 2 hours waiting for adobe illustrator to save files without crashing + 3 hours spent printing the same PDF over and over because the pages don't come out the same as on the word file = one whole useless day when the project was already a week over budget!

Now I realize that our photo prints for the report were all ordered in the wrong size, by my boss who should know better! that's right, you heard me, prints, because the government is so backwards they won't take digital photos, it has to come from film and be glued on to the page. So I go to reorder the whole thing, and get back to my desk an hour later to realize the order is missing 2 of the photos (my fault this time lol). Back to the photo place, one more time!

The is my first project for this company and it is a complete gong show, mostly because they didn't buget it properly in the first place. So I look like the idiot who didn't get it done on time. argh.

JessieLaFemme

Jun 26 2009, 07:10 PM

My job is making me miserable! We recently hired a per diem (someone who works on an as needed basis) who only works Mondays and every other weekend...she is the WORST. She has the balls to always ask me to cover her shifts...isn't is supposed to be the the other way around? I called her up sick as hell last week (I had the flu..bodyaches...fever...the works)..and she wouldn't come in to cover my shift. I hate her. She went through the calendar at work and marked every weekend she can't work for the rest of the year (oh yeah, I'm the only other employee, so that means I have to work all those weekends, on top of the ones I am already scheduled for!). Ughhhh thank god for wine, I need to go unwind (and listen to more MJ, of course....)

lilacwine13

Jun 27 2009, 07:24 AM

One of my coworkers can't seem to figure out she isn't the boss of us and yesterday accused me of losing my temper because I calmly asked her a question about something. This was on top of asking her repeatedly to help clean out a van and restock it, if she could please run into the storage shed and get stuff because the rest of us were working and she was standing around smoking a cigarette.

She is two different people; if things are busy and not going the way she thinks they should, then she bosses everyone around. After she finishes dispatching orders, she then realizes that she isn't getting paid enough to deal with this shit and slacks off, smoking and saying how she doesn't care about work, how her life sucks, how they need to pay us better and dispensing bad advice. If you're over a certain age (old enough to hold down a job), then you are too old to act that way. I honestly wish I could tell her to grow the fuck up and get to work because guess what, that's the way the world is and complaining isn't going to make it better. (I've tried this and believe me, it doesn't work.)

I've talked to the management about her attitude and they said they talked to her about it but I have the suspicion the only way to change it is to fire her, but I have the feeling even then she'll end up complaining to her friends how we are soooo unfair to working moms and how we shouldn't have fired her because the entire department rested on her shoulders It makes work frustrating because everyone else is fine, we get along but she seems to throw a monkey wrench into the entire works.

Allison-Shine

Sep 15 2009, 07:53 AM

I like my job and my company but just ranting about the electrical contractors in here today sawing and drilling and muttering on how "this doesen't fit" or "geez, dang this don't work". I can't stand the noise and can't get on the phone to take care of business because of this. They have been in here for days and I think that they are just milking it. I wish I could tell them off or throw them out but managment says we have to be nice to them and not say anything. This sucks !

mumblestutter

Sep 16 2009, 10:31 PM

hope the maintenance is worth all the hassle it's causing in your building allison-shine.

i'm sort of feeling like i need to rant. I like my job overall. but it's the only one i can find. and it doesn't pay enough. i can stay at the job as long as i want. but i will never be considered a regular employee and i will never receive any time of, health care plan or any other standard benefits.

i had a second job, was working 60 hours a week. but i couldn't stand the place & left about 6 months ago. I was making between the two jobs i managed to eek my way out of the "poverty" income bracket. so despite all of my work i was ineligible for any public assistance with food or health care.

I was able to sock away a little bit of money when i was working two places, but i've pretty much depleted it now. I have enough money to cover my bills, maybe buy lunch once a week. but that's it. i'm going to be pay check to paycheck unless something changes. when i'd quit the other job, i'd hoped that the "extra" time would allow me to explore all the things i've wanted to be a part of my life, to use my talents, and find a career direction. but i feel like lack of funds is precluding alot of that. getting a second job at this point is pretty much impossible because my current hours are so weird.

i'm frustrated. I feel really stuck. I feel like i'm wasting my life just trying to pay my rent.

hellotampon

Sep 17 2009, 08:35 AM

I work 3-11 in a nursing home and yesterday I was scheduled to work the hardest assignment on the hardest hall. I kept thinking at least we have 4 girls... then I get to work, and 2 people called off. So we were thinking one of us would be pulled as a float, but nope- they pulled one of our girls entirely, leaving our hall understaffed. The unit they pulled her to did not need 4 girls! I just worked there the day before and we were done by 8 o'clock! And did they bother to tell us that they pulled someone? No. I had to walk all the way down to the desk and look at the floor plan again and see that they'd changed it.

There are 30 people on this hall and about 25 of them are feeds, and we had 3 girls to do it. Plus a lot of these residents are combative so you get your ass handed to you all night. 2 of our showers were combative, so a coworker had to help me with them. This left only one girl on the floor and we're supposed to have 2 at all times. Meanwhile someone fell out of bed and I'm sure we're going to hear about it from the Director for having 2 of us leave the floor. I guess it's just expected to do it yourself and get beat up even more. That's another thing- half the residents go apeshit on us, and no one cares. It would be too much paperwork for them to get an order for some ativan or something, so the bosses would rather just see us get hit. It's ridiculous.

p_176

Oct 11 2009, 07:47 AM

on friday, i got yelled at by a coworker. it's a long story why it happened, but basically the guy wants to feel like everyone listens to and accepts his opinions, AND he made a mistake on a project we worked together on, so he yelled at ME.

the problem is, my supervisor vacillated between saying, you handled it well by not showing him you were sweating, to saying you should have stood up for yourself better/should have said more. then she said, i guess now because of this blow up was so unprofessional, i'll have to deal with it, but i don't really want to......

i called my attorney, and i'll look into how to file an official complaint.

aes88

Oct 12 2009, 03:01 PM

I've been working in the same office for three years in a job for which I am overqualified, overworked, and underpaid. I've finally figured out what I want to do for a career and have started taking the steps to go back to school and pursue what I want. I'm finding it harder and harder to tolerate my coworkers though. I keep telling myself to just work towards what I want, I won't be here forever but I'm getting stressed out and constantly annoyed. Over the past few months I've even found myself incredibly annoyed at times, to the point of becoming very, very angry and I'm not someone who I would have ever described as angry on a regular basis. I don't think it's something in my personality because it only happens at work, once I go home, I'm no longer angry. Basically, I'm looking for help for ideas of how to deal with my frustrations. One coworker, in particular, drives me crazy. She started about 10 months ago and sits about 6 feet from me. She constantly is still having to ask me how to do her job even though I've told her how to do things time and time again. She's also is ridiculously loud on the phone, easily gets irritated and rude when talking to patients on the phone, takes personal calls frequently, complains about her weight all the time, doesn't understand that I don't appreciate her coming into my personal space/reading over my shoulder, seems to not care enough to use proper grammar (I really don't think she's just dumb), AND burned her popcorn in the office microwave today. The other women in my office are more tolerable (one spends more time away from her desk than at it and then complains about all the work she has) and don't sit as close to me so I can usually tune them out if I'm annoyed but generally I get along well with them. Does anyone has any tips to help me chill out about this? Unfortunately, going to a supervisor isn't an option for very complicated reasons and since it's such a small office, I don't feel comfortable bringing my complaints directly to her. I'm more looking for ways that I can personally cope with this stress/annoyance until I can make my way out of this job and move on to better things.

hellotampon

Oct 13 2009, 02:11 PM

I just moved from 3-11 to 7-3 at my nursing home job. So instead of getting people ready for bed, we're getting them up and dressed for the day.

I've only just worked first shift for 2 days, and I keep forgetting to shave the men because it's not something we do on second shift. We have one resident who is supposed to go to the dining room at lunch but he ended up eating in his room today because I didn't shave him and it was a Big Fucking Deal. My coworker who thinks she's little miss perfect started yelling at me about how she had to tell the supervisor that she couldn't send him to the dining room "like that" and that SHE had to shave him and SHE had to take him to the bathroom and clean up his mess. I took him to the bathroom 20 minutes before that so if he jerked off in the meantime (yeah... he does that) and messed on himself it wasn't my fault. And then she had to go and tell everyone how much I suck.

A year ago she was working on second shift and complaining about 2 girls who always did the same thing to her- couldn't wait to point out every little thing she did that they didn't like. It's so aggravating, especially since she had to make me look like an asshole to all my new bosses/coworkers.

treehugger

Oct 14 2009, 04:39 AM

So I have what may end up being a long rant.

We just recently ( a month ago) hired on a project guy. (a person who is hired on a specific project, for a specified time. I think he's on for two years.) He is supposed to do the larger projects that my senior partner and I are too busy to take three days or so, to do. My senior partner and I respond to emergencies where a lab is about to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars on loss of materials, research projects crashing, etc.

So, I've been there for eight years. I'm a full time person, which is supposed to carry more weight, seniority, etc. I had a cascade refrigeration immersion cooler on my hoist that was very old and didn't have ANY refrigerant information on it, charging information...I even contacted the company who manufactured it and they had no information too! So it needed a new high-stage compressor. I ordered a duplicate compressor and put it in. Now the guessing starts-myself and my senior partner were puzzling over it and trying different refrigerants (we tried 12, 507, and an exotic old-time one) which none of them worked correctly- we couldn't get the right operating pressures for the temperature applications.

And now it's the end of the day. I leave for the day. My senior partner works till a half-hour later than me and the project guy leaves an hour later than that. (we kind of set our own hours when we are hired). Project guy comes traipsing into the shop (he is incredibly new to the trade and up til now has only done basic household stuff, air conditioning, really basic stuff. Not technical bio-medical research stuff like we do, his stuff only had to get down to like 50 degrees fahrenheight. My stuff has to get to 120 BELOW ZERO fahrenheit so it's a lot touchier. One half ounce of refrigerant too much or too little can completely mess it up.

So, project guy is looking at my project with much curiosity. He asks my senior partner how it works. Partner explains it to him. He asks partner if he can "look" at it. Partner says yes. And then it's partner's time to leave for the day. Project guy is left alone in the shop for an hour on his own. I don't know any of this because I've been gone for a half hour already.

I arrive at work the next day, do my paperwork, get organized for the day, and get ready to start working on my immersion cooler. I'm getting out my pressure gauges, etc. It gets to the time of Project Guy's starting time. (my senior partner had taken the day off, so he wasn't there.) Project guy proceeds to tell me, he "fiddled around" with the immersion cooler, and ADDED FOUR OUNCES OF R-22. And he said, "and it started warming up so I left." WTF???? He fucked up my project and walked away??? Well, at that point I had left some of the exotic refrigerant in there, so he added this 22 on top of it, effectively creating an unknown AZEOTROPE. So I don't know if these two refrigerants will blend or if they will separate out and condense at basically two pressures... I'm absolutely fuming at this point. Some of my other co-workers were gathered around me, they were like "why the FUCK would he do that?"

I blow the charge off, still fuming, and am muttering to my co-workers about "damn it, now I don't even know what I have, here"....I don't know if his azeotrope reacted with the oils in the system, nothing now. It's all a mystery to me at this point. I re-evacuate the system (which took like an hour) during which I was shaking, I was so angry. Co-workers agreed with me. They were like "why the hell would he do something like that???"

Well, I know EXACTLY why he would do something like that. He's a young journeyman (they are the worst) and I'm a WOMAN. Men don't get it...they come into a mechanical field and automatically get some form of respect, whether they deserve it or not...because he LOOKS like he should be there. I DON'T look like I should be there, so there's kind of a dynamic I'm constantly dealing with, where I constantly have to prove I'm BETTER than the guys. He, due to always getting respect, honestly believes that he CAN do it all. And I'm constantly fighting with being accepted and being respected. I'm gaining that with my co-workers. Bah.

And what really, really aggravates me is he just kind of effectively moved into the shop, he's getting in our way, but it especially gets under my skin, because of the lack of respect again. And I don't feel like I can trust him to not fuck up my projects again. I feel violated, if that makes any sense.

girltrouble

Oct 14 2009, 05:29 AM

(((((tree))))))

i really think you need to lay down the law to that guy. i know my post in the other thread sounded really bitchy, but in reading your rant, i think you'd be totally justified in being bitchy. and the sense of violation? MAKES TOTAL SENSE. you have seniority. period. he needs to be put in his place. what he is used to doing is like elementary school comparatively. it's baby steps, i worked a little bit in commercial HVAC, and what he did boggles my mind. the company i worked for did similar stuff at the university here-- where they have some biologicial weapons, and viruses. we had techs that did NOTHING BUT work on them, and other techs were instructed, NEVER to touch, move or even handle their shit, because, well, it was too advanced for anyone but the most senior techs, and even then the ones most experienced at their particular refers. i think a lot of people need talking to, tho. your partner, your supervisor, and the new kid and all new hires, should know from the git what the story is. i just makes me mad to hear about your work so often when you post about it, because i have so much respect and admiration for you and what you do, and it seems like they do not support you. and even here on the west coast, my blood is boiling. stupid motherfuckers.

treehugger

Oct 14 2009, 05:38 PM

So.

I feel a little better. I went out with my senior partner for a few beers after work, and he stressed to me very emphatically, that I am next in line to be "senior partner" and once he leaves, in a couple years or so, the shop will be MINE. And I'll make all the rules. And the engineers and everything seem also to be reinforcing that, because they are coming to ME asking me what I will need in my new shop. (which should be done next spring YAY!) Which makes me feel better about the whole thing. And scared...being the bigshot of the shop is a pretty big responsibility!

It just pisses me off that, it seems like every time we hire somebody new, I go through the same crap all over again, I get some young "I know everything" journeyman stomping all over my shit, and have to fight my way up all over again.

That is GOING TO CHANGE when I own the shop, for sure.

Oh, and my immersion cooler got a pint of alcohol down to -80 fahrenheit in ten minutes today. Three more test runs and it will be ready to send back. Phew!

GT, I am glad that at your old company the biotech specialists were given so much respect...it really is a very stressful branch of the refrigeration industry that I think few can grasp. It's pretty stressful knowing that stem cells might die, or that a virus might die or reproduce, or all kinds of crazy things..maybe decades worth of biomedical research might be ruined....because your ultracold was one degree too warm. It's a lot more stressful than an average air conditioning guy would ever have to imagine. It's incredibly stressful when you know somebody is paying $100.00 per hour* for you to fix their ultracold, but you've been fighting with it for a month for that one degree.

Eeeesh. It's scary thinking of being in charge of that.

I want to be sort of like the Dr. House of refrigeration, I do. I want to be able to be a complete asshole but everybody puts up with me because I'm a genius.

I'll get there eventually. My senior partner better not retire until he teaches me everything he knows.

And, GT, I didn't think your post sounded that bitchy, in light of my situation. Next time he does it....he will find out what bitchy really is. I was too flabbergasted last time to do much, but next time, I will be prepared. Hopefully, somebody else already took him aside and warned him. All my co-workers seemed to support me. We'll see.

I have to admit, GT...your post made me feel kind of happy...like if I was working at that company, wow! I'd be pretty elite! I kind of like that feeling...not in a snobby way, but more in a "I worked hard for this, and I made it" kind of way.

*In no way, shape, or form, do I get that entire $100.00 per hour. I wish I did.

p_176

Oct 19 2009, 04:12 PM

i filed my complaint, and i got an apology from the guy. he's going to apologize to the rest of staff tomorrow or weds, since his blowup was really public. HR is getting involved.....they might try to make him retire or something, since this is not the first time he's blown up at someone.

rogue

Oct 30 2009, 09:07 AM

((((Working Busties))))

I definitely don't have anything as bad as what you ladies have to put up with, my job is merely depressing. I am but a lowly, overqualified and underpaid office assistant. This means that I have to do all the shit that no one else wants to do and get none of their perks. I work in an office with four men and twelve women, and every girl in this office left to go shoe shopping (on the clock) because Payless is having a 50% off sale and I'm stuck here. Then all the men went out for lunch. So I am here alone. It's just really frustrating and horrible for my morale. I hate being left out of things because it's been that way for me my entire life, especially since I grew up as an only child.

Okay, pity party over. I just hate this place so much sometimes! I should be grateful that I'm no longer working at a call centre but fuck, I hate this job. Rant over.

treehugger

Oct 31 2009, 05:37 AM

((((rogue)))

I have been there-I was an office assistant when I decided to pursue my current career. It SUCKED watching others basically be able to do whatever they wanted and I was the one that had to put on the appearance, run for the coffee, be there early and leave late, all on a pittance of a salary.

p 176, I'm glad they did something to help you!

rogue

Oct 31 2009, 08:21 AM

Ugh, tree! That's exactly what it's like! We do a lot of events at my office so everyone goes to them during work hours while I keep up the appearance of the office, and I have to come in a half-hour earlier and leave a half-hour later, too. It sucks! Grrr, it just makes me so mad. I know I should be grateful to even have the job but most times I'm not. And I have to clean up after everyone, too, which I absolutely despise. My boss (who I've known from uni before I got the job) actually had to draft a POLICY about cleaning up after yourself because everyone left it to me. Instead of putting their dishes in the empty dishwasher, my coworkers would put them all over the counter for me to load. I was like WTF?! So yeah. Policy for cleaning up after oneself. This is how retarded my office is.

Okay, no more ranting. Like I said, I should be grateful. But BAH!

pcake72

Nov 1 2009, 02:12 PM

this is actually my first post here. I can totally empathisize with everyone here. the title of this thread says it all!I am BEYOND livid about work. I almost can't even put my thoughts together i am so upset. I should be happy and feel fortunate to have a job, and I am. Once again I checked the schedule and I am only scheduled two days. I have worked in a retail store for a year and a half, and I consistently get less hours than everyone, even newer employees. WE have a new supervisor, and she plays favorites. If certain people are not scheduled, well, she just adds them in and if I am not scheduled it is due to "budgetary concerns". We have a rule about no drinks on the sales floor(and I agree) but she and her favorites drink pop and whatever else they want. I am so pissed off. I work HARD and FAST, seriously I dont understand. I never call of unless I am deathly ill, and I know my department pretty well. Now this superviosr puts on of my coworkers as "TEAM CAPTAIN" even though I know the area better. Those two are friends out of work, I think she gets preferential treatment. this coworker Diane is SLOW when she works, and is always asking me where merchansise goes! even though she is in charge. what I am maddest about is poor communication, I went months not getting many hours then was told it was because i was not performing up to standard. well, I am not a mind reader, and if i get no feedback then i dont know what i need to work on to improve. the attitude of managers at his place is that i should already know!! what the fuck????Diane is a brown noser and a hypochondriac, every week she complains about various "HEALTH ISSUES"CONSTANTLY , especially her poor circulation, constantly pulling up her pants leg to show us her swollen leg and support stockings, EVERY SINGLE SHIFT!!!!! I think she is talking about me to Tina because those two are never apart while we are working. One day I was in the restroom for about five minutes and my supervisor was like "you have been gone an awfull long time!!!" I asked diane why tina would say this and she got all defensive and says"I dont know I never said anything"I said simply "I never said you did" I know I am really ranting here but this is only a fraction of what goes on.

treehugger

Nov 2 2009, 03:55 AM

ugh, pcake. Supervisors that play favorites are the WORST. There's nothing more frustrating than the feeling that you are working harder than everybody else, yet everybody else gets preferential treatment. I've seen that a LOT at my work, for the last few years.

I'm actually here as support right now. I'm surprisingly happy right now-the refrigeration calls have slowed down and now I am getting building a/c systems ready for winter-draining plugged air handlers, etc. Nice, relaxing, brainless jobs, and I'm working with my latest crush, and they've broken ground on my NEW SHOP! I go past it every day and it's going to be fun watching it go up. We're slated to move in April/May. And the best thing-I've finally gained the respect of my supervisors and they leave me alone. Whereas other people are watched. (not without reason, I have to add.)

rogue

Nov 4 2009, 01:14 PM

I'm so annoyed with work this week. I've had nothing to do for a while and then ALL OF A SUDDEN I get loaded with tasks that other people don't want to do. For instance, I have to print, cut, and fold 150 info brochures for one of my colleagues, for something that he needs to send out. Logic speaks to me and says, "Hey, it's his task, he should be doing the printing/cutting/folding" but ohhhhh no! For some reason, that's not something he does. Are you kidding me?! Just this one thing is going to keep me away from more important things that need to be done (some tasks I am working on for a charity thing that we do here, which to me is more important than info brochures).

Ugh. I'm so annoyed.

lilacwine13

Nov 9 2009, 12:22 PM

Speaking of preferential treatment at work...

My supervisor's son works with us and while he's a sweet kid, he is as dumb as a bag of bricks. He constantly screws things up, forgets to do things, and gets away with stuff that, if any of us did it, we would be written up or fired. Of course, they can't because it's always someone else who is to blame, which is infuriating. Everyone else in the department is smart enough to not make his mistakes and works hard, while he can get away with slacking off because of "medical reasons." If any of us claimed to be unable to work because of a sore arm we would not be here, we'd be fired.

Of course, when he screws up we all have to clean up after him, he gets out of it. And since his mom is in charge, he is given more authority and responsibility than any of us because he can supposedly handle it. It's aggravating because by all rights, he and his mom should be out of a job (she for covering his ass one too many times and screwing up some major things), but they aren't.

treehugger

Nov 10 2009, 05:07 AM

I'm going to have a crazy week, I can tell. Both my senior partner, and his backup are gone for a week. Eeeek-I'm the only biotech refrigeration person here! I got three ultracold calls yesterday, a haskris chiller, and have to coordinate the return of a couple others. Yikes....

Makes the day go quickly though.

amica

Nov 11 2009, 08:46 AM

I am so sick of wardrobe sexism in the work place!! Today I went for an interview as a waitress and was told straight off the bat that you can only wear skirts and HEELS! Heels waitressing for 12 hours! This is insane! My last job wouldn't allow me to wear skirts above the knee but also insisted I wore make up everyday... Yet to find a dude who has to look 'sexy' at a job that has nothing to do with ones appearence...does anyone else have crazy wardrobe stories to share? I'm actually starting a group to bring attention to the issue at http://www.quietriots.com/issues/212-discr...drobe-policies/Get involved and share!

E-nonymous

Nov 13 2009, 10:42 PM

Okay, I am an employee at a knowledge-industry company. I've been there 6 weeks. And even though I've been in this industry for 12 years, working everything from straight IT and field tech work to admin work to now telling other people how things work, these people treat me and make me feel like a moron. And why am I a moron? Because I can't read their fucking minds.

My new manager, who seemed so nice and approachable while interviewing, is a perfectionistic, impatient micromanager who doesn't like to tell you how to do something or what she wants done because you're already supposed to know everything (but will actually tell you to "never use anything less than the full product name, not even in IM"). And when she actually breaks down and writes you an email (of course, keeping records of problems with you, right?) telling you concretely what she wants, she uses all caps and step numbers and hyperlinks and stuff so that you understand she is really pissed and really thinks you're a willful dumbfuck. Long story short, you don't ask more than 2 questions, and you'd better be able to make the leap. It's like somebody saying, "See that cow? Make me a baseball."

So...Micromanager tells me a week ago, "go put gray boxes around blocks of code in the online help." How? "Oh, look at the other stuff on the help, you'll find an example." Well, I don't find any example. So I Google html stuff and find a method to code a decent-looking box. ...Send her an IM with a URL and she says it looks good but move it to the right some. So I Google how to do that and send her the revised URL. She says it looks ok. So now, knowing that we have a big go-live date coming up soon and everything needs to look spanky, I spend several days retrofitting all the very troublesome, tricky code blocks with my spiffy boxes.

Today a Really High Up Guy catches my note about accomplishing this on a forum and calls me out on a very large mailer with, "Why would you hard-code a box around the code like that [unspoken but obvious extra words: "you idiot"]? Then Micromanager jumps in on the mailer with, "Why did you move away from CSS and do it that way?" And I'm like, excuse much?! WTF! She says she's positive she told me to use CSS. I say not, because I'd remember that since I don't know anything about it. So she decides to give me the "benefit of a doubt" and posts a general set of CSS code on a "style sheet for future reference." Only I still don't have a concrete example of WTF to actually do with it this junk, and I sure as hell don't want to venture out on my own or God-no, Google it, because people in this company luuuuuv to humiliate you publicly when you don't read their minds and do exactly what they want with absolutely no help or direction. Yes, that happens to me about once a week--this week, twice.

I have been there 6 weeks, have never worked less than 60 hours a week, and I was crying in the bathroom today because I supposedly have this fantastic job with this hot-shit company and apparently managed to squeak through the exceedingly judgmental scrutiny of Micromanager to get this fantastic job. And I fucking hate the job, fucking hate the attitude of "we're better and smarter than you and we don't have time to trifle with your hopeless problems of ignorance and stupidity." Meanwhile I get resumes every day from people who want a job as mini-me. The job market sucks, yet these resumes are horrible. And seeing this, I realize just how lucky these assholes are to have somebody with my experience, smarts (at least to everybody but them), and work ethic.

As they say on another Web site, FML. Cubed.

kittenb

Nov 14 2009, 03:20 PM

I have no advice, E-Nonymous, but that sounds horrible. You have my sympathies.

hellotampon

Nov 16 2009, 07:17 PM

I am dreading work tomorrow. I have to work with these 2 women who work on the same hall all the time. Not only do I feel like an outsider, but I get to be bossed around and treated like a child. Every time I'm over there I end up being Shower Girl, where they make me do all the showers for that day and the next. It's like okay, if you want to get ahead on showers because you have an extra person that's fine, but the way they *ask* me to do it reminds me of the movie Office Space. "I'm gonna have you go ahead and do so-and-so's shower right now..." or "You can go to break now." Today I was told, "I know this woman is already washed and dressed, but she's just *dying* for a shower, and you don't MIND do you?" I know if I wasn't there, she wouldn't have gotten it. A few weeks ago we had another lady who was *dying* for a shower, but since hers is normally on second shift and wouldn't set them ahead, she didn't get it.

Today we had a room change to another hall. I pulled all the paperwork ahead of time and brought it to the girls over on that hall. That's what I have always done with room changes. Later on my coworker tsk-tsked about it and gave me a lecture about how I need to give the paperwork to the nurse first. I had to like, do a walk of shame back over there and get the paperwork back. She stood there and watched me do it. The other girls had already put it in their books. I brought it back, the nurse glanced at it and 2 seconds later handed it back to me and then the CNA that lectured me told me it was "OK" to bring back. And to "do them a favor and put it in their books for them." Um yeah, great. So right after that I went around the corner to the scheduler's office and asked her to please not put me on that hall anymore. She was nice about it so hopefully after tomorrow I won't have to work over there anymore. But I'm afraid I'm going to end up crying or something.

treehugger

Nov 25 2009, 09:13 PM

not mad, mad here...just a bit frustrated, but in a "I'm not going to let this beat me" kind of way. I'm fighting with an ultracold that just...doesn't....want...to....squeak...down that last degree C.

It's hovering at -119.2 Fahrenheit (-84 Celsius).

Setpoint is -85 Celsius. (-121 Fahrenheit)....

*grits teeth/white knuckles, errrrrrgh....go baby go!

I think it needs another shot of hexaflouromethane or something else flammable like that.

*ETA: ultracolds use flammable substances as the refrigerant, I wasn't suggesting blowing the thing up or anything... heh.

rogue

Nov 30 2009, 12:59 PM

I'm not like *!!*&*#YASKDS(&*@! pissed off right now, but I am a little put out.

Apparently one of the higher-ups at my office bought tickets for his "favourites" (as I like to refer to them) to go see The Nutcracker this month (the ballet is performed every December in my city as I'm sure it is in a lot of others). Technically he's my boss' boss, but he's my boss too, and I'm feeling really left out over this, especially since this happens a lot. I shouldn't feel this way at all because I should expect it by now, but still.

ETA: I forgot to say that I haven't been invited. Duh, I'm an idiot today. It's Monday - I'm blaming everything on Monday.

datagirl

Dec 7 2009, 04:31 PM

(((Working Busties))) Maybe I should be hugging myself ...today and for the last three months.I work in a call centre for one of those 'As seen on TV' companies. Shit money,bullied,yelled at by customers and last week there was a piece of shit left beside the only ladies toilet in the call centre.This toilet is used by at least 20-30 women per day.So it's really hard to tell who's shit is was. It took them at least three days to clean it up (as they were waiting for the cleaners). There are also no sanitary bins in the toilets either. Oh, I've asked.But to no avail.The desks are never cleaned and we never get any wipes to clean the headsets or keyboards with.We supply our own stationery.So far I've only had hayfever due to stress and time off for suicidal thoughts and depression.Also if we have a sick day,just one, we have to bring in a doctors certificate.Even though the position is casual and we get no sick leave pay. We get about 1 minute per hour for 'personal time' which includes going to the toilet (too bad if you have your period and have to take more time) we have to log onto the personal time option also to even fill out forms after a call too.This is deemed a 'break'. The manager/s constantly bully us into 'cross selling' or we'll be fired.Then he'll say the exact number of people who were fired yesterday.Just to motivate us.Cross selling means to offer the customer even more crap they don't need or will never use.We need to get a 10% coss sale average per shift (5-6hours) this is equal to about $400 AUS.

He sends the whole call centre really offensive emails (yeah he spends alot of time on the internet and doesn't even hide the fact.There have been at least three times when I'd go to his desk to ask a question and he'd be downloading something from youtube) like a picture of a cross eyed kid and next to it a jail cell.There was also a picture of a christian cross somehow relating to sales.I have proof if you'd like the email...I keep them all.Just so I can look back at them and remember how utterly low I let myself fall.I look and apply for jobs everyday but my depression and lack of esteme right now is so low that I'm kinda locked into the chicken or the egg scenario untill I get myself free somehow.

The calls are all monitored and if a customer complains about an operator the calls is dredged up and listened to with a fine tooth comb so to speak. If anything that the operator says is incorrect they are fired. Yet there has never been any training for this job.Only bitchy little emails by faceless permanent staff letting us know how wrong we're doing the job.The customer is never warned that the call is being recorded either prior to speaking with an operator. If there are no incoming calls to take then we are told to do 'aftersales' which means that we call some previous customer up and try to sell them a 30 day free trial of shit they don't need and will probably never use. The first question we ask is how they found the last product they ordered from us and how it's going for them."Oh I haven't even used it yet"....uhuh... "So would you like some more landfill then???" No one is complaining even me. I'm not familiar with my rights as a casual worker because the laws are always changing and are different in all states. I google 'casual rights' but we've had a few ellections since 2006/05/04 so I/m yet to find a peak governing body who will give me the right information. Perhaps being taught about workers rights is something kids could learn in school instead of fucking trigonometry.

girl_logic

Dec 8 2009, 12:21 PM

QUOTE(datagirl @ Dec 7 2009, 04:31 PM)

... Perhaps being taught about workers rights is something kids could learn in school instead of fucking trigonometry.

Here, here! (((Datagirl))) Data it's like you illustrated one of the circles of hell. This may be from left field, but I'm getting that you're in Australia? One of the groups that makes it a point to research workers rights would be one of the sex worker's rights organizations there (The Scarlet Alliance is one). They might possibly be able to steer you in the right direction.

eta: oh of course you're in australia, it only says so under your user name doh.

datagirl

Dec 8 2009, 07:43 PM

Thanks girl logic! Great advice. I'll google the Scarlet Alliance to see what info they have on their site.

I'm having the day off to day.Even just thinking about work is just making me feel ill. I of course will have to go to the doctor's for a certificate which is ok as I need to go anyway for some sleeping tablets. I'm averaging 4-6hrs sleep a night thanks to my shitty job and the smoking hacking cougher next door keeping me up all night. Mum has offered to have me sleep at her place for a few nights as it's so quiet where my parents live. I'm moving back there soon to save money so I sepose I'd better get use to it... Hey,but it's not that bad. They have a pool and a lovely garden and it's a nice place.I have a car and my own room (overlooking the pool) so moving back home makes sense right now.

I applied for a squillion jobs today.My eyes are square from cutting and pasting info,adding and subtracting,talking myself up when I'm feeling like a salt laden slug under someone's shoe... But hey I have to keep going.I HAVE TO GET OUT OF CALL CENTRE HELL!!! I can only save myself.

((((busties)))((((((extra hugs for all call centre busties))))))))

girl_logic

Dec 8 2009, 08:32 PM

Data, don't be afraid to call them up or email - there's a REALLY good pool of collective knowledge among politicized sex workers when it comes to local labour laws, and if they can't really help you they might know where to direct you. ~~call center escape vibes~~

pants

Dec 23 2009, 08:41 AM

I am trying to compose a beginning of the year pep talk email to send to my team at the end of next week. The whole process is making me want to stab myself in the eye.

Somehow I've turned into a middle management jerkwad and I don't like it. I don't like having to tell people to actually work. I don't like being the heavy all the time who gives you grief for coming in late or talking on the phone too much. I don't like it at all. But here I am.

Didn't I used to be a rude waitress in a sort of crap restaurant in a bad neighbourhood? Didn't my work wardrobe used to be slightly more exciting than these black and brown variations? Didn't I used to have more fun? Ugh. Need to stop pining about the old days and finding ways to make the current days better. Either way, this is annoying and I don't like it.

nickclick

Dec 24 2009, 08:07 AM

good luck pants. maybe try infusing a bit of humor in your email to lighten it up. when i have to send around an email to remind editors for the hundreth time how to properly credit photos, login to our photo database, etc., i'll sign it - thanks, your phriendly photo editor nickclick or something silly like that. anyway, yeah, i'm feeling a bit cubicle-y lately too.

i'm just trying to plow thru my projects here, get everything to editors on deadline, especially with the holiday and all. so why does my boss keep bugging me to help him with some marketing nonsense? that's not my department. he says the guy in marketing is too busy to help him and so is someone else in production. am i the only stooge that says yes? but he's my boss. i can't just say - "i can help you next month, so go away now! oh and i know this is like all your other little projects that just keep you busy because you don't have much else to do and you're gonna forget about it when you have some other plan up your sleeve."

snow white

Dec 31 2009, 01:55 PM

((data)) i wish u luck in ur job hunt! keep us posted

i was gonna come in here and bitch about my pervy boss but now i don't feel like i have that much of a right to bitch. everyone else i work w is really cool. my boss is just a totally inappropiate jerk off that thinks being a pig is cool. whatever. it's good experience and good hours, decent pay. i need to not complain.

treehugger

Dec 31 2009, 07:27 PM

snow white, bitch away! Pervy bosses SUCK. It doesn't matter if it's a good paying job or whatevs, if you're pissed, here is the place. I bitch about my job PLENTY, but when it comes down to it, it pays my bills.

lilacwine13

Jan 3 2010, 12:50 AM

There's nothing wrong with bitching about one coworker, snow white. For the most part I like who I work with, like my boss and can't really complain about my job. It is what I expected and it pays the bills.

However, the assistant manager and her son are making my life--and everyone else's--hell. She slacks off, spends her time smoking and crocheting, yet expects us to get ridiculous amounts of work done so she looks good. She is also one of the most two-faced people I've ever met; if you say anything to her, she'll twist it around to make you look bad and then bitch about how horrible of a person you are.

Her son works in our department and while I've bitched about him before in here, that was before he started sexually harassing my friend at work. She's too nice to say anything to him and while everyone knows what is happening, the HR person isn't willing to step in and do something about it, about all she can do is try to find someplace else to transfer him. I cannot adequately express how much this pisses me off. She's married, not interested in him, and he has no right to say or do anything to creep her out. And since he's the assistant manager's son, well, the days when she is in charge, he gets the run of the place. Or tries to, since we are all at the point where we will not hesitate to put him in his place. He even tried to get one of my coworkers to quit because she went to HR to complain about him. Luckily our manager stepped in and solved it.

Now, we have a tendency to talk raunchy at work; however, everyone knows it is a joke and we are merely trying to blow off some tension, crack everyone up and make the day go by better. He doesn't seem to get that and well, it's leading to some difficulty.

hellotampon

Jan 7 2010, 07:52 PM

Why the fuck do people have to be so bitchy? They do one little thing that's not on their assignment and they have to loudly announce it to everybody while rolling their eyes. It's like, if you're going to be such a bitch about it, don't do it. No one forced you. You should be doing things because you enjoy teamwork, not just so you can use it to make other people feel bad.

This was all because I kept forgetting to put a bedspread on one of my beds all day. So she took about 45 seconds out of her busy day to put one on. You'd think it was the end of the world.

At the same time, I took 20 minutes to do linens for another unit that was short-staffed, and instead of going up to them and passive-aggressively pointing out how inadequate they are I just let them end up being pleasantly surprised that they didn't have to stay late.

Arrrgh.

lananans

Jan 9 2010, 08:38 AM

I'm currently doing an internship at a newspaper as part of my masters program. And I do not like it. I've thought my ENTIRE life that I wanted to work at a newspaper. I worked at a small paper one summer and enjoyed that, but maybe I've changed because I am so stressed about this internship it is insane. I think because it's a very large paper, and the thought of having my name attached to words that I will then be responsible for is stressful, because potentially thousands of people will be reading them. Not cool with my anxiety.

So now I'm thinking about a career change. Possibly another masters degree, but something academic where I can hide behind my books and research. Uggggh..

I'm sorry to hear that people are awful at your jobs hello and lilac... give some people a little bit of power and they go insane. Also, hello, just know that you're a better person... I try to remind myself of that sometimes and it can help.

lilacwine13

Jan 10 2010, 01:29 PM

The assistant manager put in her notice this week and supposedly her son got fired, lananans. I'm hoping this means things can calm down around here.

doodlebug

Jan 15 2010, 06:39 PM

My job is so fucking boring, I sometimes have to catch myself from falling asleep while I'm processing data. I sometimes wonder if all the interpersonal conflict around here is just people letting off steam out of boredom.....

hellotampon

Feb 2 2010, 03:55 PM

This girl at work left early today because she's been having health problems lately and coming to work feeling like crap every day. She finally got some tests done, and they called her today saying that the results are back and they need to see her immediately. As soon as she heard that my partner decided that she had to go home early too because she had "diarrhea" twice. wtf. Diarrhea, are you serious? Suck it up. There's a bathroom in every single room here if it's really that much of a problem. I don't even think she was telling the truth anyway. She just didn't want to be there. That left us really short-staffed and we all had to haul ass even more than usual to keep up. Maybe next time I'm having a bad day at work I'll come down with a toothache or a stubbed toe. Sheesh.

foryoursplendor

Feb 3 2010, 10:00 PM

There is a staff at my work who gets extremely defensive and angry almost every day. She's also sworn and said very inappropriate things in front of staff from other important organizations. We had to have a meeting with the manager today to address it. She screamed a few times throughout the meeting, which was good in a way because the manager knows now what we deal with every day. Another staff on my team quit during the meeting because he's sick of dealing with her. Argh! Its unbelievable and frustrating.

pcake72

Mar 1 2010, 03:25 PM

ah, data girl from oz. I work at such a place here in the states. I called off sick today just because I cant take it anymore!!!I have been here one year at the call center. I have to get people to renew their magazine subscriptions. Like you say the pay is low, the pressure from managers high, the customer rude . have a university degree, and these people i work amongst are low class. It is also dirty at the computers stations, we never have enough wipes. Someone steals all the toilet paper from the ladies toilet..Lately management is becoming more uptight than ever, and as soon as I can I am out of there!!Thank heaven I only have to do this 17 hours a week. I have to FORCE myself to go to work every day, I hate it so much, and I find it tedious and boring.

anna k

Mar 7 2010, 12:09 PM

I really don't like my job. It's an admin I've been at for two years, and I'm tired of it. I put myself into the work, do it without complain, and work hard to be good, but over time, I've become more depressed and down about it. It's a museum where I can't advance to a higher position because I don't have the right degree, and I often do a lot of tedious office work given to me by others, in addition to doing reception on the weekends, and it can feel very long and boring when the museum is quiet, and I don't like spending my weekends there. I've been at the same low salary since I started, and economic troubles guarantee that I would not get a raise. My boss picks at me at times whenever I do something wrong, and she has a way of making me feel like an idiot. I feel stupid and low at my job. I'm given such boring tasks to do that I feel like my I.Q. drops, my mind wanders, and I'll miss some minor duty of mine or not feel as enthusiatic about my work as the full-timers do.

I feel bored and unappreciated. Recently when my boss wrote me an email, she addressed me by the wrong name. Or she told me that she hasn't seen much progress in me, and while I've seen some progress in myself in terms of customer service and getting work done, there isn't much room for me to progress, and it feels like my talents and creativity and intelligence just die when I'm there and see former interns younger than me get FT positions and I have to answer to them. Or asking people if there's anything I can do for them if I don't have any work at the moment, or being done with my work but still having three hours to go until the day ends.

I have another job, an editorial job at a magazine that I really love. It's a PT job, and doesn't pay much, but I feel so fulfilled and happy there, being given more responbilities, flexibility, and being seen as more of a team member than just an office lackey. I started there as an intern last year, and was promoted two months ago. It's the work I truly want to do, and it will give me more opportunities towards my career goals.

I feel frustrated at myself complaining about my admin job, since it's a consistent paycheck and not a terrible job, but I've been there for two years, and want to work for something that I feel more interest in and can build a career with, rather than just a bill-payer that makes me feel low. I feel selfish, as if I can't just do a job for the money, but I've been doing it, and am both being given crap work and don't feel like I really belong. It also sucked to see the company emails where everyone is praised for something, and even if I assisted on something, I get the barest minimum of mention, or seeing a web project that I assisted on in a small way and not being mentioned in the congratulation emails for the two women who were the heads of it. If I leave this job, I wouldn't have the consistent paycheck and just getting a small paycheck from the other place, but I feel like I've outgrown my work here and want to move on with my life.

ketto

Mar 8 2010, 08:36 AM

Anna, I don't think you should feel bad about not wanting to work there. It sounds like a shit job where you're under-appreciated and unacknowledged. While everyone needs a paycheck, I don't personally think we should have to put ourselves through the stress of a situation like that (not for too long anyway). Can you look for something else right now and quit if you find something? I know I would have trouble sticking around. One of things I recently told my co-workers (I work in a collective - no boss) is that it really means the world to me to have a job where I feel valued and appreciated and supported. That shouldn't have to be a luxury. (((anna)))

doodlebug

Mar 8 2010, 03:06 PM

I have been here since October 2008, first as a temp, and now, for the last year, working for someone on maternity leave. She's coming back soon, and I'm very much looking forward to being laid off for a little while.

I can't wait to get away from these "ladies" and their petty schoolgirl squabbling and gossiping. I can't wait to get away from my incredibly judgemental and dismissive co-worker who refers to anyone not white as "foreigners." I can't wait to get away from my other co-worker who is a passive-aggressive attention whore. I can't wait to get away from my 3rd co-worker who is a 20-year old in her first job (her DAD works here, *ahem* - how do YOU think she got the job?), still living at home and not paying rent, buying a Mustang convertible with her income, and spoiled to the hilt. I can't wait to get away from the rest of them - all women - who ALL asked me what a SUFFRAGETTE was, when I made a recent joke about being called a suffragette by my neighbour.

I can't wait to get away from the most boring job I've ever had in my life. No, no, no, what am I saying? I LOVE processing lottery data and telling people on the phone that they are surely going to win the Big One next time.

I can't wait to have the whole summer to spend trying to make money making music.

I just hope she doesn't change her mind about coming back to work - this is, after all, the most boring job she's ever had in her life, too, as she has told me!

mumblestutter

Apr 19 2010, 11:24 AM

After working at my job for a couple of years, I've had my hours cut down to almost nil. I haven't had so few since I was in training. I want to quit an go work at McDonald's.

buttercups

Apr 21 2010, 07:47 PM

didn't get a job i was really hoping to get after the hiring director practically welcomed me right into the place and almost offered it to me on the spot. i hate being led on like that. im still in school, need a job for the summer desperately, desperately need experience in my field and can't get any bc no one wants new grads, and have no time to look for jobs alll over again. i feel so depressed. how long am i allowed to feel depressed about this for? i think school and the stress of trying to find a job is driving me absolutely insane..about to check myself into a mental hospital...

angie_21

Apr 22 2010, 08:26 AM

Aww buttercups that happened to me 2 years ago when I was finishing my degree! They like to keep you on the hook, just in case, even when they know it's unlikely you'll be hired. That's why you're supposed to do the same to them (accept a job offer even if you're waiting for a better one, then take the best offer you get and dump the rest) without ever feeling guilty. Of course, that assumes you'll ever be in a position to accept more than one job. which believe it or not, has happened to me twice, despite months of unemployment in between. It's so weird. You will be OK. Job prospects seem to come and go in batches, and something will come up! It's been working for me for the past 2 years, and I've been working on contract most of the whole time!

I'm mad about school instead of work, but good enough to complain here I think! I need to apply for a visa NOW so I can be in Alaska in a month, but the school I will be going with doesn't have their shit together for me to have all the paperwork to complete the application. I'm freaking out, if I don't submit the application on time I might just not be able to go because they won't let me into the US! Arrgh!

ketto

Apr 22 2010, 11:15 AM

Buttercups, I've been there too. When I was in the middle of my degree I knew I needed to get some experience in my field but no one would hire me because I had no experience, even when it seemed like I had great interviews. I wish I had some great advice but unfortunately I think it just takes time and being really persistent. The only reason I finally found a job in my field is because my workplace got a grant from the university to hire a student from my department. I actually DIDN'T get that job at first because they went with another candidate but she had to withdraw, so I was the number 2 choice. That was 5 years ago and I'm still at the same place. I say once you get in somewhere, let them know you're eager to learn and really gain some valuable experience. Of course, the trick is getting in somewhere.

Also, I think you're allowed to be upset for however long you need. My brother is in the same situation as you right now except he's also a single dad with a mortgage as well as a student. He's going nuts too, going to all these interviews and then often never hearing back. People forget how stressful that can be.

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